South Africa has a population density of 139.8 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. South Africa and Switzerland rank 135th and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Africa has 0.79% of the world's population and 0.81% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in South Africa 76.6% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 139.8 | 596 |
| 2025 | 138.3 | 594 |
| 2024 | 136.7 | 590 |
| 2023 | 135 | 583 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 575 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 571 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 566 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 562 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 558 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 554 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 549 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 543 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 537 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 530 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 524 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 519 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 513 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 508 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 501 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 495 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 491 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 487 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 484 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 481 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 477 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 474 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 471 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 468 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 466 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 464 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 463 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 461 |
| 1994 | 94 | 458 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 455 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 450 |
| 1991 | 89 | 446 |
| 1990 | 87 | 440 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 436 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 432 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 429 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 426 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 424 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 422 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 421 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 419 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 416 |
| 1980 | 63 | 414 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 412 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 412 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 412 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 413 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 415 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 416 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 413 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 410 |
| 1971 | 49 | 407 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 405 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 402 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 398 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 393 |
| 1966 | 42 | 388 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 384 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 379 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 373 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 365 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 356 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-africa/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in South Africa increased by 31%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, South Africa ranked 134th by population density and is 135th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 139.8 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 135/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
65683993
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.3% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 63.7% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 15% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 63.7% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 63.5% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 63.4% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 63.4% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 63.3% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 63.3% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 63.1% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 63.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 63% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 62.9% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 62.6% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 62.3% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 61.2% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 60.5% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 57.7% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 57% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 56.3% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 55.4% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 54.7% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 54% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 53.6% | 72% |
| 1995 | 53.3% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 53.1% | 71% |
| 1993 | 52.9% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 52.7% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 52.4% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 52% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 51.4% | 68% |
| 1988 | 50.7% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 50.1% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 49.6% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 49.2% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 49% | 64% |
| 1983 | 48.8% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 48.6% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 48.5% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 48.2% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 48.1% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 48% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 48% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 47.8% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 47.5% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 47.4% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 47.3% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 47.1% | 53% |
| 1962 | 47% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 46.9% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 46.7% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-africa/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-africa/switzerland | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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